Women Professionals in Documentation in France during the 1930s

This article describes the roles of five women activists who helped transform librarianship in France away from a profession of male archivists. Heirs to the nineteenth-century movement promoting education by encouraging the use of books, they were all activists within Catholic or secular traditions. They knew the ideas of Paul Otlet (1868–1944), and some of them were influenced by American library developments. Suzanne Briet (1894–1989) created reference service at the national library. Louise-Noëlle Malclès (1899–1977) pioneered reference and bibliography at the Sorbonne. Yvonne Oddon (1902–82) developed a major museum library. Myriem Foncin (1893–1976) advanced map librarianship. Georgette de Grolier pioneered public library outreach. They changed attitudes, wrote influentially, and advanced professional education.